Never Give Up!

Never Give Up!
Have you ever felt overpowered and wanted to give up? Well, you are not alone! This week, on June 6th, 80 years ago, allied forces landed at Normandy to liberate the world. The massive D-Day invasion was titled Operation Overlord. In the early hours of the invasion, it probably didn’t feel like the Lord was over it, or in it! Allied troops were pinned down by enemy fire taking heavy losses. Last week, I was blessed to spend time with some who were there; they clearly recalled a sense of God’s presence they never experienced until that day. Throughout scripture, we hear about the importance of perseverance in the Christian life. Saint Paul tells us in this passage that we must resist discouragement. When we become discouraged, we become ineffective. When we become discouraged, we diminish our faith. When we become discouraged, it’s as if we're saying, “It can’t be done!” That’s the opposite of saying, “I know God can do it because of what he said.”
Friends, when you come up against discouragement, how should you handle it? Do you finish what you start? Are you persistent? Nothing worthwhile ever happens without endurance and energy. When an artist creates a sculpture, he has to keep chipping away at it. He doesn’t hit the chisel once revealing a masterpiece. He keeps hammering and chipping away at the stone. The same is true of the Christian life. Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy. We must remain vigilant in our faith and gradually our lives become masterpieces of God’s grace. This world was liberated 80 years ago by ordinary people with extraordinary determination. Great people with faith and determination don’t know how to quit. The next time you feel discouraged, remember God is our Over Lord! He is with us always, and we will only find victory with Him and through Him.   
Onward and Upward+
Fr. Greg

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